Painting A Nightstand

Whether you have an old, worn out nightstand or just want to give your current one a makeover, painting is the perfect solution. Painting a nightstand is easy, affordable, and can completely transform the look of your bedroom.

Here’s one of our painted nightstands ideas to inspire you! We will transform this old nightstand into a two toned beauty that will add character and style to your bedroom. Now, let’s get started on this fun and creative DIY project!

green nightstand before painting

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also may earn from other qualifying purchases with other companies or get free product to review and use. All opinions are my own.

See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!

nightstand furniture before painting

Painting A Nightstand

Here’s our guide on painting a nightstand and transform your old nightstand into a two-toned piece that adds character and style to your bedroom.

Instructions

  1. First, remove any hardware to get them out of the way and clean the surface with Krud Kutter to guarantee proper adhesion of your paint.
  2. Strip off any old paint or rough up the surface for better adhesion with a sander and sanding sheets. Use 150 grit to remove the old paint and 220 grit for scuffing up the rest of the nightstand.
  3. Once you've sanded and cleaned up all the dust, prime your nightstand with clear shellac to seal in any remaining odors or stains and provide a smooth base for painting. Leave the drawers unprimed for staining later.
  4. Next, mix up your own homemade chalk paint using latex paint and calcium carbonate powder. Dissolve the powder in water before combining it with the paint for a smooth glaze like consistency.
  5. Filter the chalk paint into a paint sprayer to avoid any clogs or lumps. Then spray 3-4 coats onto the nightstand, letting each coat dry before applying the next one. More coats may be needed for lighter colors over dark wood.
  6. For the drawers, use a dark wood stain like walnut to create contrast with the light painted nightstand. Apply a couple of coats following the wood grain, letting each coat sit for 5 minutes before wiping off the excess.
  7. Add a unique touch to your nightstand by attaching a rustic plank wood top made from cedar planks. Stain it with the same color as the drawers.
  8. Finally, protect your newly painted and stained nightstand with a topcoat like Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane. This will give it a beautiful shine and protect it from wear and tear.
  9. Reattach the hardware for the finishing touch. And that's how you've transformed your nightstand with paint!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

close-up view of bedside table after the makeover
full view of bedside table after the makeover

More Before and After Makeovers

See All >

Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.

Not only is painting a nightstand a cost effective alternative to buying a new one, but it also allows you to add your personal touch to the piece. You can choose any color or design you want, but if you need help figuring out where to start, this makeover is for you!

Click here to subscribe

When we found this old nightstand, it had this ugly camouflage paint job that had to go! If your piece has a similar finish you don’t want anymore, we have just the tips you need to tackle it and give your nightstand a fresh new look.

And like we mentioned above, we’re going for a two toned look, so if you’re curious about how to create that, we’ll guide you through the process. So keep reading to see how we turned this nightstand into a stylish and unique piece!

Supplies Used for Painting A Nightstand

Prepping Before Painting a Nightstand

We began the makeover by removing the hardware using our electric screwdriver. Then, we cleaned the surface with Krud Kutter to remove any dirt or grime. It’s important to have a clean surface before painting so that the paint can adhere properly. For more helpful tips, here’s how to clean furniture before painting.

cleaning nightstand with krud kutter

Sanding Old Paint Off

Then, we got to work sanding that old, tacky camouflage paint off the drawers. We used our Surfprep 3×4 sander and 150 grit sanding sheets to remove the old paint. Watching it come off and reveal the raw wood underneath was pretty satisfying. Here’s Is a SurfPrep sander worth It? for our honest review of this sander.

Sand using SurfPrep Sander

We also used 220 grit sanding sheets to scuff up the rest of the nightstand. We were okay with the old camo paint not completely removed since we planned to paint over those areas. But we made sure to sand enough so our new paint would adhere well to the old paint underneath.

After sanding, we cleaned up all the dust with a vacuum and tack cloth. Again, we need the surface to be clean before painting so that the paint can stick properly. If there is any leftover dust or particles, they can make the surface uneven and mess with the final look. Check out how to clean wood after sanding here for a more detailed guide.

tack cloth to remove dust from sanding

Priming Nightstand Except Drawers

After sanding and cleaning the nightstand, it was time to prime the surface. We used clear shellac as our primer since it’s great at sealing in any remaining odors or stains. Plus, it gives a smooth and even base to which the paint can adhere. You can learn more about clear shellac in our best spray paint primer for wood and best primer for chalk paint posts.

clear shellac for priming

We sprayed 2 coats over the nightstand, covering all surfaces except for the drawers. We planned to stain the drawers later, so we didn’t want any primer on them. Let the shellac dry completely before moving on to painting.

Spray Painting a Nightstand

For painting this nightstand, we made homemade chalk paint with Behr latex paint in Heavy Cream and calcium carbonate powder. Following our homemade chalk paint recipe, mix 5 tablespoons of calcium carbonate with a bit of warm water until it’s nice and smooth, like a glaze, then pour it into 1 cup of latex paint.

creating homemade chalk paint

Next, we used these handy paint filters and filtered the chalk paint into our Vonforn Paint Sprayer so there wouldn’t be any clogs or lumps in the paint. We love using a paint sprayer for furniture because it gives a smooth, even finish and cuts down on painting time. Here’s our honest Vonforn paint sprayer review to know how it performs from our personal experience.

vonforn paint sprayer

We sprayed 3-4 coats on the nightstand, letting the paint dry between coats. It can take more coats when painting a light color over dark wood. Here’s how to spray paint a dresser with chalk paint for another example of applying chalk paint with a paint sprayer.

Staining Nightstand Drawers

For the drawer fronts, we stained them with dark walnut wood stain to contrast them with the light colored nightstand. We applied a couple of coats of stain, going with the wood grain for a more natural look. For each coat, we let the stain sit for about 5 minutes or more to set the color in before wiping off the excess with a clean, lint free cloth.

using minwax wood finish for staining

Adding New Top

We also added a rustic plank wood top to this nightstand with cedar wood planks. We cut the wood planks to the right size, and we nailed the planks to the top. The new top adds a unique touch to the nightstand and provides a sturdy surface for items.

We stained the top with the same dark walnut stain we used on the drawer fronts. The stain adds another element of contrast with the white painted nightstand and ties in with the dark stained drawers. Plus, staining gives the top a beautiful finish and protects the wood.

staining wood planks

Topcoating Paint and Stain

After all the painting and staining, it’s important to topcoat everything to protect it and give it a nice finish. We used Varathane Water based Polyurethane for this project because it’s a durable topcoat that will hold up against wear and tear. Plus, it gives a beautiful shine to both the painted and stained wood. Here’s our list of the best topcoat for chalk paint for options to use on chalk painted furniture.

Varathane Polyurethane for topcoat

We sprayed 3 coats of the poly topcoat all over the nightstand and drawers, covering all surfaces evenly. We let each coat dry completely before adding another one, and after the final coat dried, we reattached the old hardware to the nightstand. For more helpful tips on spraying polyurethane here’s can you use a paint sprayer for polyurethane.

See how painting a nightstand can completely transform it? You can customize it to fit your style with other colorful paint combinations or new hardware. And remember to seal and protect your finished project with a topcoat for long lasting beauty.

close-up view of painted nightstand with stained top

More Painted Furniture Makeovers

Click here to subscribe

Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture. Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!

nightstand furniture before painting

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *